We chartered a sailing catamaran for a week to explore the Virgin Islands. Chartering your own boat is the best way to travel if you want privacy and flexibility. Even if you are not a sailor, it is easy to hire a crew. Read on for my review of the trip and some practical tips about how to charter your own boat and hire a crew for the Virgin Islands.
Read Virgin Island’s Yacht Charter review and see how it went!
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Getting to the Virgin Islands and the Navigare Yachting Marina
The gateway airport is Saint Thomas ( STT). It is surprisingly well connected with most major US airlines flying there from various US cities. The advantage of starting your trip in the Virgin Islands is that it is a US territory. So, there is no border control or additional Covid requirements to worry about if you are flying from the US. The Drawback is that the USVI are more expensive than other Caribbean Islands. Taxis and supermarket prices are high.
Navigare Yachting departs from the Bimini Marina. It is about a 25-minute drive from the airport. Beware that taxis are outrageously expensive. They asked us 150 USD for a private taxi for the 25-minute drive. On the way back from the supermarket, they charged us 20 USD for a 3-minute ride over 200 meters…The taxi situation is unpleasant as you need to negotiate every time you take a taxi, and those are probably the most expensive taxis I have seen anywhere in the world…
Tip: Some people in our group were charged 11 USD per person for a shared taxi from the airport to the Bimini Marina. Others over 20 USD. So make sure you negotiate. 11 USD per person seems to be the fair rate…
Checking into our boat: A Bali 4.8 Catamaran
We arrived after lunchtime, and our boat was ready for us to check-in. We were greeted by Eric, the Navigare manager and he was very welcoming.
Prior to check-in, we had been in contact with the Navigare team, and they were helpful in answering all our questions. The boat briefing took over an hour, with Eric going through all the boat equipment with our team and crew.
The boat briefing and provisioning took some time, but we were still able to sail away before sunset and found a nearby bay to anchor for the night ( which is nicer than staying at the dock).
Review of the Seven Stars Bali 4.8 catamaran
The boat is very spacious. It has three distinct levels for common use, which gives a nice flow as you move around.
The dining area has an automated door which is a clever way to enjoy the space either as an indoor space or an outdoor space. It also allows you to get a good breeze through the boat.
One of the advantages of chartering a boat with Navigare is that they manage boats for owners under financing plans, and most of their boats are new and in pristine condition. Our boat was less than 6 months old and was absolutely sparkling.
The kitchen is well-equipped and has a large double-door fridge with an icemaker. The boat has its own water-making system, so you don’t need to worry about running out of water during the week.
The front of the boat has a large outdoor dining area and a lounging area.
The area that we used the most was the lounging area on the top deck. It has a comfortable sofa, is shaded and affords a 360-degree view of the ocean. Very few sailing boats have a large shaded area on the top deck, making the Bali 4.8 catamaran a great boat to relax with friends and family.
Review of the cabins on the Navigare Bali 4.8 catamaran
The Seven Stars Bali 4.8 boat has five cabins that are all ensuite. It is a sailboat, so don’t expect huge cabins and bathrooms. The master cabin is the best cabin I’ve experienced on a catamaran. We had an ensuite shower and toilet and a spacious and comfortable double bed. Most importantly, the cabin was well-ventilated at night. AC is available through the boat, but we tried not to use it too much as it is not eco-friendly, and the generator would make noise through the night. The cabin also had a good amount of space for clothes and suitcases. There were lots of well-appointed hooks and nooks around the cabin, making it easy to stow items and wet clothing as you were changing.
The other four cabins are a bit smaller (one has bunk beds) but still comfortable. AC was individually adjustable in each cabin.
The front of the boat has an additional sleeping space and bathroom, which is great if your boat is full or you need an extra cabin for a skipper.
Sailing with the Bali 4.8 seven stars Catamaran
Seven Stars Bali 4.8 is a pleasure to sail and can be done easily single-handed or with some competent trimmers. The electric winches are a lifesaver for getting the main raised or getting that perfect trim for the wind angle on your main and jib. The auto-pilot is very accurate and holds course even in rough waters and strong winds. The auto-tack function works incredibly well and makes the upwind legs pleasurable as you can tack back and forth with the push of a button for a relaxing sail with just simple mainsail adjustments. It’s a big boat, so it’s best to turn the engines on when sailing in tight quarters when a quick recovery might be required. Under reef 1 with around 14 knots of wind, we were able to achieve 7.2 knots when sailing the wind angle for speed. With the separate throttled Yanmar engines on each haul, movement of under engine power is easy, allowing for nimble movements when docking, mooring and anchoring.
How to hire a crew to sail your charter boat?
You do not need to be a sailor to charter a sailboat. It is easy to hire a skipper for the week. (Budget 170 – 300 USD per day for an experienced skipper). The Navigare team provided us with a list of recommended skippers. We talked to a few of them and hired a skipper named Chris. He was a fantastic sailor and fun to be around. Most people in our group enjoyed sailing and learned a lot from him.
Tip: Interview your crew carefully before the trip to ensure that there is a good fit. You will spend a lot of time in a small space with that person.
For the total vacation experience, you can also hire a cook (budget 100-200 USD per day). The cook will prepare all the meals and keep the dining area clean.
Tip: I would recommend having a no alcohol policy onboard for the crew. Even when the boat is moored for the night, emergencies can happen, and it is safer to have a person who can move the boat and respond at all times.
Tip: Chartering your boat and hiring your own crew is time-consuming but can save you thousands of dollars over getting an all-inclusive boat. You also get more freedom to design menus with the food you like.
Where to get food for your boat in the Virgin Islands?
There is a well-equipped supermarket located 100 meters east of the Bimini Marina. It is very well-equipped but be prepared to pay high prices for your groceries. Prices were 50-100% more expensive than in the US.
When provisioning the boat, be realistic with the food you need. Our cook had made a provisioning list that was humongous. We reduced the quantities by 30 percent while shopping but still ended up with enough food for another week of sailing!
Tip: Most boats sail around St Johns, where there are shops. So there is no need to overstock the boat as you can still find small supermarkets and restaurants later in the week.
Overview of the itinerary Sailing the Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are heaven for sailors. Good consistent wind, warm climates, and calm water make it the perfect destination.
St Thomas, the main island, is very built up. Most people decide to go directly to St John. Most of St John’s Island is protected, so it is a lot less built up. It has very pretty beaches. The water in some areas has all the shades of blue that you can imagine. The sailing time between St Thomas and St John is about 90 minutes.
Another popular area is the British Virgin Islands. It has spectacular beaches and sandbanks. It is a short and easy sail from the USVI; however, we could not go there as our cook didn’t have a passport.
Tip: Make sure that everyone onboard brings their passport, including the crew, so that you have the flexibility to explore the British Virgin Islands if you wish to.
A typical day would be to wake up, enjoy breakfast on the deck, and swim or snorkel. We would then sail a few hours and then moor in a bay to end the day swimming, paddle boarding, and relaxing. You can hire paddle boards or kayaks from the Navigare team. (Budget 75-100 USD per week). The Seven Stars Navigare Bali 4.8 boat has snorkels and fins onboard in adult sizes.
We spent our first night on the bay on the east side of St Thomas. That place has a floating pizza restaurant that can deliver straight to your boat. It has some nice snorkeling in the area. Don’t expect corals like Asia or Belize. There are a few corals, and it is not too colorful. It is, however, a nice way to wake up. We even saw cuttlefish mating on this reef, which is always a special experience.
Tip: It is possible to hire diving equipment and dive tanks on the boat. We chose not to do it as the diving in the area is not great. If you are looking for a diving trip in central America, check my review of Belize, the sea of Cortez, Cabo Pulmo or Cocos islands. They all offer much nicer reefs and more fish.
On the next two days, we sailed to Salomon Bay, honeymoon beach, and Maho Bay. Maho Bay is the prettiest, and we spent a lot of time swimming and enjoying the beaches.
We then went to Coral Bay. It is a busy bay, but it is home to the Lime bar, a floating bar, a great location to end the day.
Our favorite bay was Salt Pond Bay. It is well protected and small enough, with mooring available only for a few boats. It felt more exclusive. The western side of the bay has a small reef good for snorkeling and is full of turtles. We also snorkeled at nearby Booby Island and saw a shark and barracuda there.
The Tektite Bay is another great place to more for the night. It is by a stunning red cliff. There are a few caves to explore. That area of St John has no buildings, and we were the only boat there, so we felt like we were in the middle of raw wilderness. We decided to enjoy the sunset with a floating bar and drifted on inflatables with a few drinks. Chris, our skipper, accompanied us on the dingy with music and a cooler full of drinks! A really nice way to end a great week sailing the Virgin Islands.
Concluding my review of chartering a catamaran with Navigare in the Virgin Island.
Chartering your own sailboat is a real adventure. It is a more private and flexible experience than being on a cruise ship with other passengers. The Seven Stars Navigare Bali 4.8 catamaran is a beautiful boat that sails well and is comfortable. The Virgin Islands are a sailors’ paradise, especially as soon as you get away from St Thomas, which is too built up. The only drawback of the Virgin Islands compared to other Caribbean islands is the cost of living with taxis and food that’s more expensive than in the US. We had a fantastic holiday sailing, and I highly recommend it to families or groups of friends willing to spend time together.
To book a Navigare boat, check their website here.